


Why He Fell

by denial_four



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels, Angels, Fallen Angels, Falling Angels, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-09-01 15:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8629420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denial_four/pseuds/denial_four
Summary: And this was the moment that Josh finally started to panic.'Oh, God, please. Please don’t let it be Tyler, God, no. This is my fault, take me instead.'Josh didn’t know what he was praying for, but he was praying with all of his will. Because Tyler was screaming, and tears were streaming up off of Josh’s face. And neither of them knew what to do, they were just falling, and Josh’s lover couldn’t find his way, he was on his back, and Josh could see the land growing behind him, and /Oh, God./





	

_Josh laughed in the sky as the sunlight bounced from the heavens, casting blue shadows under the clouds, and spreading happiness throughout his little world. His Wings were spread wide, white, pure, and sparkling- and he allowed his eyes to set on the thing nearest to him, a boy, flying below him. A boy, whose grin was lighting up with his rosy face, skin shining with a perfection that Josh wasn’t sure was entirely real. Tyler._

_As Tyler felt Josh watching him, he rolled in the air to fly on his back and lock their gazes together. Tyler’s eyes were the colour of the richest chocolate he’d ever tasted, his hair looked exactly as soft as it felt. And every time Josh looked at him, he swore his heart would explode._

_“What’cha staring at, slowpoke?” Ty teased, angling his Wings to swoop up and poke Josh’s stomach before darting away. Josh’s smile grew tenfold and he felt his lovers touch warm his body as he chased after him._

_“Nothing, shortstack, get back here,” Josh scolded with a purr, prompting Tyler to glance back and laugh at him, as he spread his arms out and flew through a puff of cloud, creating creating a ring for Josh to follow him through._

_Josh reached out and wrapped his fingers loosely around one of Tyler’s ankles, making him cry out, “Hey!,” and turn around to latch onto Josh with a giggle._

_Josh made an ‘oof’ noise as Tyler wrapped his limbs and Wings around Josh, causing them to drop a bit before Josh could catch him in his own arms and flap his Wings to keep them up._

_“Tylerrrr,” Josh whined, making the other Angel giggle even more. “You’re gonna make us faaall.”_

_“Calm down, honey, it’s not like you can die in Heaven.” Josh rolled his eyes, flapping his Wings a bit harder to carry the taller boy’s extra weight.”_

_“Yeah, but still. I’m tired.” Josh shrugged slightly and proceeded to drop Tyler, making him shriek and scramble to find an air current to lay his Wings on. He had every intention of catching him- eventually._

_Josh laughed and watched Tyler fall in slow motion for a few seconds. They did this often. In the air was both of their favourite place, and the tricks that came with it were just a part of the fun._

_Finally Josh tucked his Wings in and plummeted head-first after Tyler, catching up with him quickly due to the lack of resistance he’d created._

_He came up face to face with Ty, as they were both upside-down, and he watched Tyler stop struggling to catch his balance, because now Josh was there, and he knew that he’d be caught._

_“You didn’t really think I’d drop you, did ya?” Josh had to yell slightly over the rush of the wind, and he grinned slowly, watching Tyler smile and shake his head as they reached for each other._

_It took this long for Josh to realize that something was wrong. That something was different. It wasn’t the same, this moment, even though it had happened so many times, they’d done the exact same thing, so many times. Because when Josh touched Tyler’s skin, his fingers slipped._

_Tyler realized at the same moment he did, and Josh saw his eyes freeze and widen with panic. He snapped his Wings brisk again and tried desperately to turn himself around, right-side up, sideways, anything but this, because while the two angels thought that there was no dying in Heaven- nobody had really proved it. And right now, this was real._

_The clouds around them were darkening as they fell through them, the bits of once pleasant-looking fluff scattering as Tyler made contact, Josh following as he feverishly tried to catch onto him._

_Every time Josh could get a hold of Tyler, his hands, wrists, waist, anything, he dropped away. It was like the boy’s skin had suddenly turned to ice, and he was too slippery to hold on to. And Ty was trying too, Ty was trying so hard to grab onto Josh’s shirt, his neck, his arms, his anything- so hard. But nothing worked. Soon enough Josh was covered in Tyler’s fingernail scratches but he still didn’t have a hold on him._

_And this was the moment that Josh finally started to panic. Oh, God, please. Please don’t let it be Tyler, God, no. This is my fault, take me instead. Josh didn’t know what he was praying for, but he was praying with all of his will. Because Tyler was screaming, and tears were streaming up off of Josh’s face. And neither of them knew what to do, they were just falling, and Josh’s lover couldn’t find his way, he was on his back, and Josh could see the land growing behind him, and Oh, God._

_As he watched, screeching his name one last time in a last attempt to slow, to grab, to stop, to anything- Tyler hit the ground. And Josh didn’t grasp it for the first while, couldn’t do anything. He watched as the ground swallowed Tyler up like a sinkhole, grass closing over his panicked, now-dull face, and hiding him underneath. And Josh felt nothing. Nothing, for a minute, like he was floating._

_But then Josh was blinded by pain, and he hit the ground too._

 

* * *

Josh awoke in a cold sweat, shivering, alone. His house was empty as usual. Well, as usual it had been for the past few days.

He let his teeth chitter against one another as he sat up and hugged his knees, gasping for air and screwing his eyes shut to block out the dream.

 _It was so real._ Josh shook the sleep out of his mind and tried to push it away.

 _That isn’t what happened_. Josh reassured himself. _That’s not what happened to Tyler_.

No, that wasn’t what happened to Tyler. What happened to Tyler was worse than dying, if Angels could die.

Josh got up and groggy moved into his brightly-lit kitchen, pouring some water into a kettle to start making his morning coffee, looking out the window as he always did, watching the children run and fly through the streets excitedly. It almost brought a smile to his lips. Tyler always loved kids.

 _Stop that_. He scolded himself. _Stop acting like Tyler is dead. He’s not._

Josh drank his coffee on the front porch, waving back to a few passers-by, ignoring some concerned glances from others. He was trying to be serene. Pity wasn’t going to help that.

Letting his Wings appear, Josh hugged them around his shoulders as he put his dishes back inside. He decided to play the drums today.

But as he descended into his home’s basement, and he spotted the glistening sheen of the drum kit he loved the most, he stopped in his tracks. Because they reminded him of Tyler. He couldn’t play drums without Tyler there. It was wrong, it was dirty.

Josh sat himself down on the bottom step with his head in his hands, shielding himself with his Wings wrapped all the way around his front and sides. It was something he often did when upset, because although being an Angel made it difficult to feel too negatively, Josh was prone to these feelings in his Earthen life, and they’d followed him, to an extent. Nobody was perfect.

He counted. One through ten. It was how he calmed down. Counting was easy. Simple. Helped you forget anything going on around you. But this time, Josh wasn’t forgetting, because every time he thought a number, he heard Tyler’s voice say it. And with every number, a memory threaded through his consciousness.

 

* * *

 

 

_Josh had been sitting cross-legged on the porch, waiting for Tyler to come home with some orange juice from the store. He’d been drumming, and that’s why Ty had gone alone. It was quite a walk, anyways, and while Tyler left a note explaining that he ‘didn’t want to interrupt,’ Josh knew that he’d really gone to have some time by himself to think. Because that was Tyler, and Tyler was always thinking. And Josh, well- Josh was okay with this. Josh loved Tyler._

_But now, picking at some weeds in a potted plant in front of him, Josh couldn’t be calmer as he waited. And his happy aura continued to stay, even as two suited Angels approached to his doorstep. Josh looked up._

_“Afternoon.” He greeted, smiling slightly at them and pushing his fingers back through his vibrant pink hair. He didn’t stand. Formalities weren’t much in the Angel world. Everyone was a friend. And often, meetings like this were just out of pure curiosity, or to invite one to an event. Josh assumed that this was one of those meetings._

_He was wrong._

_“Afternoon, sir. Josh Dun, yes? Nice to meet you.” The first Angel greeted, which Josh received with a smile. “Are you staying with a certain Tyler Joseph?”_

_Now Josh was confused. Rarely did angels go searching for another in particular. Then again, maybe they were just friends of Ty’s._

_“Uh, yeah, I am. Live with him, actually, we’re married,” He corrected quickly before continuing. “Sorry if you wanted to see him, though, he’s just zipped out to the store- but I mean, you can wait for him if you want, he should be back soon.”_

_The two Angels glanced at each other, which Josh ignored, before the second angel spoke._

_“Mr. Dun, we’re afraid we come bearing bad news in relation to.. Tyler.”_

_Josh bristled slightly. This wasn’t good. Bad news? There was never bad news in Heaven. Nothing bad ever happened here. And more than anything, Josh’s mouth went dry at the way this strange Angel said Tyler’s name. It was informal in comparison to the way he addressed Josh. He said his name as if Tyler wasn’t one of them, as if he was already gone. Which was ridiculous, because Josh and Tyler were both Angels, and they were in love, bonded- Josh would just know if Tyler were gone, somewhere. _

_Josh stood, frowning slightly, glancing between the two men of taller stature._

_“What do you mean?” He asked, confused, worried. He wanted to know more. Tyler had just gone to the store. Tyler didn’t lie. And Josh would’ve known._

_“Sir, Tyler has been detained in a ruling of the Angels’ Court. He has committed a crime. He will Fall.”_

_Josh was still frowning as he let the words sink in. A crime? What? Not Tyler. Tyler could never hurt anybody, never mind commit any other crime._

_Josh expected them to take it back. To start laughing at the expression on his face. To tell him that they’d met Tyler while he was on his way and that they’d just wanted to tease Josh, stop by and say hello, and invite them both over for dinner._

_But they didn’t. They stared blankly at Josh, anticipating a reaction. Josh’s frown smoothed out into an expression of utter disbelief. The last words sunk in. He will Fall. No. No, they couldn’t do this. Tyler couldn’t.. Fall. Why wouldn’t they just keep him imprisoned? Or let him off with a warning? Tyler must have done something so awful.. No._

_Josh tugged at the internal rope that connected him and Tyler, even at a distance. He didn’t want to react if it wasn’t even real. But the first time he tugged, there was silence. The second time, just a shuffle on Tyler’s end. The third time, a wave of guilt and apology. And Josh realized. This was real. Tyler had, done, something. Tyler would Fall._

_Josh raised his hands to his face and crumpled._

* * *

 

 

Falling was the worst thing that could happen to an Angel.

While, to a human, the concept of going back to Earth again after death might not seem so bad- in Heaven, it was the highest form of punishment an Angel could receive. It went against everything they knew, ripped them from their home, and essentially kicked them into the cold. It is hard to get used to Earth if you’ve been living in the comfort of Heaven. It is hard to be a human again after you’ve had Wings. And it’s hard to get your very being torn from you.

It’s especially hard if you had ties to Heaven. Whether it was a new family, friends, or a lover. And Tyler did- Oh, Tyler had too many.

This is why, when Josh looked up from counting on the step, the first wave of pain shook through him. He staggered as his muscles turned into jelly, and he slid down the last step onto the cold tile floor, spasming and gasping to find any air for his lungs.

It hurt, it just hurt so bad, and Josh swore he was dying, that this was the end, and that he was doing to be gone any minute.

The pain blinded his eyes, sent stars through his thoughts, crippled his wings against the floor and made his spine crack painfully. And he screamed louder than he ever had before. But nobody would hear him down there. And he didn’t know if he wanted them to or not, because as quickly as the pain was there, it was gone.

The pain ended, but the feeling didn’t.  And Josh, panting and wide-eyed, was left with an empty feeling in his entire being, a hole. And he knew what it was. Tyler had Fell.

Josh didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t know what to do, but he didn’t want to think. He laid on the floor, wishing that the flood of emotion would leave him, and soon. He couldn’t move. He stared at the ceiling until he fell into another dream, awake.

 

* * *

 

 

_Tyler woke up on the side of the road, battered, bloody, and bruised. He didn’t know where he was. And he didn’t know what to do._

_Standing slowly, he looked around blankly. He couldn’t see anything. It was all blurred and blank. Where was the colour?_

_Tyler ran shaking fingers through his hair. His head was pounding, and he hadn’t felt pain in so many years, but he was sure that the stretching feeling in his chest was the worst he’d ever had._

_He needed to fly up higher to get a view. Tyler squinted up and around the sky, trying to find a clear spot to look around. It was hard to do, especially when there was no white on vibrant blue as a marker._

_Tyler found a spot, gritted his teeth, braced his legs, and took off from the ground._

_Except he didn’t._

_Tyler couldn’t move._

_Panicked, Tyler looked around behind him, spinning in a circle, trying desperately to grasp any part of the white feathers that should be there, that were supposed to be there._

_Nothing was there. And Tyler tried and tried to make them appear. But Tyler couldn’t.  He took his shirt off and jerked, craning his neck to see any gold, any white, any marker, anything._

_Tyler couldn’t see his back. He needed to find, a mirror, anything. He needed to know what was going on. And he heard the rush of water, and he ran towards it._

_Turning around at a still pool of water, a small pond beside the tiny river, Ty clutched his shirt with an iron grip in his hands, turning to see his reflection._

_Where the gold dusting of his Wing bases once were, was now two gashes. Tyler stood still in shock. And as he realized, what had been taken from him, where he was, what had happened- his back began to bleed._

_Tyler fell to his knees and screamed._

_No human heard the shriek of an Angel._

* * *

 

 

Josh woke up, gasping, and crying.

That had been real. That was so so real. And he could still see Tyler behind his eyelids. He could see him.

And Josh didn’t know what to do. He crawled his way back up the stairs, grabbing at his hair, gasping for air, for anything, for anything.

He stumbled outside as best he could into his medium-sized, fenced backyard.  The wall around the lush grass was a hard stone, and Josh knew he wouldn’t able to run off back there, knew he wouldn’t draw any attention. And that was good, because now he was sobbing.

He fell to his knees on the grass, where his forehead tipped forward and smashed into the ground. And Josh cried. He cried harder than he’d ever cried. At least for what he could remember.

Josh’s back hurt, his Wings ached as if they were falling out, he could feel Tyler’s blood running down his back, but it wasn’t there, it wasn’t.

And Josh couldn’t see.  His vision was spotting out. He grasped for the grass in front of him, but as each strand pulled out from the earth, its lush colour faded to grey.

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. Tyler was gone, Josh didn’t know why, and now he was lost somewhere, and he was alone.  And Josh felt what he felt, he hurt how he hurt. And Josh could barely breathe.

 

* * *

 

 

_Tyler cried in the darkness of the forest, unaware as to where he was, scared other noises around him, scared of everything._

_Why was this happening to him?_

_Tyler hugged his knees, icy tears running down his cheeks as he looked around in the forest, clearing by the stream where he’d stayed lit only by a half moon._

_A howl rang off in the distance. What was that?_

_Tyler whipped his head around frantically. He was lost. He hadn’t been on Earth in so many years. Angels didn’t have dangers. He didn’t know what to do._

_Tyler didn’t know what to do._

_He wasn’t sure how this happened. All he’d wanted to do was give to Josh. He’d just wanted to show Josh his love. And while he didn’t think this was greedy, sometimes the council of Angels was harsh. And old-fashioned._

_Tyler had been told he was giving in to a sin. Tyler had been told he wasn’t fit to be an Angel. Tyler didn’t even know what that meant. It was so wrong. Was it really even Heaven?_

_Tyler just wanted Josh._

_So when he stood and faced the darkness leering at him through the trees, Tyler’s knees were shaking. He felt tremors run through his fingers and toes. And he couldn’t move. And he didn’t. Not even when a pair of bright yellow eyes snarled out at him._

* * *

 

 

Josh was frozen.

Josh was so cold, he was shivering so hard, having such numb fingers, he swore he wasn’t alive anymore.

And then there was a wave of white-hot fear, fire coursing through his veins and telling him to run, to hide, to anything.

Josh couldn’t. Josh couldn’t move.

Josh was shaking.

Josh needed Tyler.

Tyler.

He laid still for a few moments of sudden silence, mulling over what he could possibly do, before the pain hit him.

Red, red, his eyes splashed with red, and Josh shrieked, and Josh cried again, and it was all he could do not to tear out his hair, because before his eyes, gashes and bites were bleeding out from his leg, something there but not there, real but not real. And he knew it was Tyler. And Josh’s chest got tighter and tighter, until he thought his heart might explode through his ribcage.

It hurt so bad.

Josh rolled onto his front, burying his screams in the dirt of his yard.

What could he do? He needed to get to Tyler. He needed to save him. This couldn’t be happening. And Josh wouldn’t last long, like this, anyway.

What could he do?

Josh looked up, eyes flashing red, mind screaming red, everything red. He knew.

What was there for him to do, except Fall too?

Josh wept harder. He cried, and he cried, he cried for what felt like forever before he finally worked up the courage. He was letting go of everything. Everything he knew, everything he cared about, everything he was.

And what if he Fell and didn’t make it to Ty? What if he’d given up everything, for nothing?

He had to try.

Josh, covered in phantom blood that wasn’t his own, crooked Wings sprawled out across the grayed grass that kept his home so prestige, took a deep breath.

Josh let go.

It was white, white, everything was white. It hurt so much, he couldn’t catch his breath, Josh was falling, he was dying, he swore.

‘Oh, God. Oh, God no, God, please, anything-’

Josh felt himself be ripped out of a body, he could feel his being be torn in half, he could feel it, he could feel all of it. Taste it in his mouth, smell the scent of burning, hear his own screams. And it hurt so bad, it hurt more than anything, and Josh regretted letting any other, lesser hurt get to him before.

Josh couldn’t see anymore.

 

* * *

 

 

_Tyler screamed. Tyler was screaming at the top of his lungs, for Josh, for someone, for anyone. Vicious teeth of creatures tore at his skin, and he lashed out as best he could to defend, but Tyler was running low._

_He was human, he realized, and he didn’t have infinite energy._

_It hurt, Tyler could feel his own blood pooling around him, and he could do nothing about it, nothing._

_He wanted to give up._

_Suddenly the teeth cleared from him, and he was left on the ground. There was no noise. No snarling. No fighting. Just the ache of pain. And a peace._

_Tyler looked to his right, unable to move any other part of his body._

_The flash of pink hair was unmistakable._

_Tyler smiled as wide as he could, he smiled wider than the biggest sea he’d ever seen. He went to call out for him. But his throat didn’t work. He just hoped Josh would notice him soon._

_But as Tyler watched Josh stand, look around with a wild confusion, and take a breath of filthy Earthen air, he realized why he had Fallen._

_Josh looked at his back in the stream. He yearned for his Wings. He couldn’t spread them. He saw the wounds. Josh’s lips quivered. And he fell over. And he screamed._

_And no Earth human heard him. But Tyler did. And his head burst into flame, it hurt so much, agonizing pain, he felt what Josh did, through his whole body. And his mind screamed back at Josh, screamed at him, ‘What have you done, go back home!’ But it was too late._

_They were both here now._

_And Tyler felt Josh’s emptiness radiate as ten times his own. And he watched him, Fallen, and knew that Josh did this for him. For him, only. But he knew that Josh’s pain was amplified. And he knew that Josh wouldn’t recover._

_He knew now why he Fell._

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I wrote this. It took two days, three hours, and fifty six minutes, but here I am. And wow, I don't know if y'all feel the same, but this is the most vivid fic I have ever done. I am so proud of this and excited to share it with you. It hurts so good. Cheers. xo


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